SPECTATOR SUMMARY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 62, 10 September 1910, Page 12

SPECTATOR SUMMARY.

p (Week ending Saturday, 16th July, 1910.) AFFAIRS In* GREECE. On Friday week tho four protecting Powers handed to tho Cretan Government an ultimatum declaring that unless the Government undertook to admit the Moslem Deputies to the Assembly the chief Cretan ports would be ogcupied and the Customs seized. The Assembly met the next day and decided to give the necessary undertaking. It then adjourned for four months. Submission was, of course, much the best course the Assembly could take ; the Cretans stand to gain nothing in this case by recusancy. We trust that the Cretan 1 question will now quietly settle itself. But we must not forget the danger from Turkish Chauvinists, who do not ardently desire a settlement, and appear only anxious to fasten a quarrel on Greece. King George is being assailed, for instance, because he urged moderation on the Cretans. The Turks could not plausibly reprobate such advice, but they do find a grievance in the fact that King George should have a say in the matter at all. At Constantinople the anti-Greek boycott continues. GOVERNMENT FINANCE. On Friday week in the House of Commons Mr. Lloyd George made a general defence of the finance of the Government. Replying to tho criticism that they were financing the expenditure of this year out of the surplus of last year, he denied that the Government were responsible. If they had been allowed to pass their Budgets in the ordinary course, so far fivm having a surplus of £840,000 depending on the resources of last year, they would have had a surplus of £1,200,000 depending entirely on the revenue of this year. Dealing with the allegation that the Sinking Fund was being raided, Mr. Lloyd George declared that "this year the provision for the reduction of debt is higher by £2,000,000 than the highest reduction by the Unionist Government that preceded it." He went on to give some instances of Unionist extravagance. " They made themselves and the country ridiculous, and now they tariticise a few salaries which they promised and broke word upon." Mr. Lloyd George ended his speech with some criticisms of Socialism and tariff reform, both of which are interested "in spreading discontent with the present system," and "in demonstrating to the people that they must look to the State for redress." In Germany tariff reform had ended by creating four millions of Socialists. He himself, however, was "equally opposed to tariff reform and to the Socialist contentions that you can by violent and revolutionary interference with trade and industry remove all the evils of life.' NATIONAL SECURITY. In the House of Commons on Thursday Mr. Dilon moved the reduction of the Navy vote by two millions, and called forth a debate of great importance. Mr. Asquith, who followed Mr. Dillon, used language carefully chosen to wound as little as possible the feelings of his " little navy " supporters. But the meaning of his speech was quite clear, and showed that as long as he is Prime Minister he is absolutely determined to maintain our naval power. For ourselves, we do not attach any great importance to public declarations of how much wo loathe spending our money upon ships, for that loathing, of course, is common to every taxpayer. Nor, again, do we . see much value in protestations designed to give the impression that we are sure the ruling powers in Germany mean us no harm. On the other hand, we have no great objection to the utterance of such conventions provided that we get the ships, and tha.t it is made absolutely clear that the country wil never weaken in regard to the Navy. In this respect Mr. Asquith's statement was quite satisfactory. He met well tho childish cry of the Labour Party that every Dreadnought which is built postpones the achievement of some urgent work of social reform. As he reminded the House, national security is the first condition of all social reform. "SAFE AND SOBER." In the course of the debate Lord Charles Beresford made a striking speech. When interrupted by Mr. Dillon with the outcry : '"Your estimates would be up to a hundred millions," he gave the very sound answer : "They would be up to a hundred millions if they went on with driblets."' Here we are sure he is right. If we had maintained our ship-building at a normal level the Germans would not have been encouraged to accelerate their programme, and we should have been in a far stronger position and have saved money. By relaxing our efforts we in fact egged on the Germans to compete with us. Mr. McKenna closed the debate in a speech in which he declared that the Admiralty only laid down ships as they thought them necessary. The Adn-iralty's motto was "Be safe and be sober." "If we asked for less than we are asking now we could not be sure of being safe; and I v am certain that if we asked for more we should not bo sober." When the Committee divided Mr. Dillon's amendment was negatived by a majority of 228 (298-70). THE CENSUS. In the House of Lords on Tuesday the Census Bill was considered in Committee, and on the motion of Lord New. ton a column was added to the schedule providing for the statement of religious opinion. Lord Newton coidd not believe that the real mason for the Government's refusal to accept it was that tho religious ehquiry was inquisitorial. If they would acknowledge that their attitude was due to the pressure of Nonconformists who wanted to disestablish the Church in Wales, he could sympathise with them. Lord Lansdowne, although he agreed with the amendment, pointed out that it wou]d be impossible to press it in the face of the Government's opposition. No doubt the column will be struck out by the Commons, and will not be insisted on by the Lords, but for all that we are- glad that Lord Newton has made so clear and bold a protest against a piece of unctuous \ party sophistry.

An appeal is being made in London for funds for the establishment of a Bishop's College and Hostel in the diocese of North Queensland. In the vast diocese extending over 130,000 square miles no secondary education is provided by the State, and the aim of ! the college will be tr> train teachers qualified to give religious instruction to the young, to prepare students for the university, and to provide preliminary training in divinity. The King has expressed his warm approval of the scheme, as have also the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishop of London, Lord Northcote, Lord Jersey, Lord Lamingtoh, and Sir Horace Tozer, late Agent-General for Queensland. A sum of £20,000 will bo required to place tho college and hostel on a sure- basis. Never hesitate about giving Chamberlain's Cough Remedy to children. "It contains no narcotic of any description, and can be given with confidence. As a quick cure for coughs and colds to which children are susceptible, it is uneurr passed.— Advbt x